Stars Aligning
by Cartoons4life
Summary: SVTFOE and Book of Life mix-up...saw something on Instagram and had to write this.
1. Chapter 1

If I said I'd known Oscar and Marco for a long time, that wouldn't begin to cover it. We'd grown up together, that is, until my father made a rash rescission that I had to leave temporarily...

Well, I believe all stories make the most sense when you start at the beginning.

If you've ever heard of the Book of Life, you know everyone has their own personal story in the pages, according to Mexican history.

This is my story.

I believe it begins on the Day of the Dead the year I was five years of age.

Oscar was adamant that one day, he would have a fantastic mustache. It was kind of hilarious-he was in a phase where he'd stick a fake mustache to his face. His father had been the great General Mondragon. He'd been killed in the revolution when Oscar was a baby. Oscar's greatest dream was to live up to the legacies his father set.

Marco, however, was more quiet than Oscar. He carried around a ukelele all the time-since he wasn't large enough to play a normal sized guitar. He also wore a large floppy hat, but that's not necessarily relevant. His father was a bullfighter, as was his grandfather, and so on. It was a "Diaz tradition", as his father put it. Even his grandmother had been a bullfighter. (Don't even get me started on that story...)

And then there was me. The female of the group. Star. I didn't have any premade plans for my life. Basically, according to my father, women would get married and have a family, and served no other purpose. I didn't agree with that, however. Even as a kid, I was a feminist, and believed that I was capable of doing anything my male friends could do.

Which is kind of how I ended up getting sent away...but that comes later.

"Star, Star, look!" Oscar said, brandishing his toy sword. "Don't fear! I will save you! My mustache and I will be your heroes!"

I giggled. "Oscar, your mustache isn't even real."

"Plus, how could facial hair be a hero anyways?" Marco asked, playing one of the three chords he knew on the ukelele. "I'd have better luck saving her with my guitar!"

None of us had any idea that we were being watched. How could we have known?


	2. Chapter 2

"Look at those boys down there, trying to impress the girl." The woman sighed, brushing a long piece of black hair behind her shoulder. Her large sombrero was lines with candles.

The man sighed. "You know, I would really like it if we could swap domai-"

"No." The woman abruptly said. "Xibalba, there is no way you're going to be allowed to rule the remembered." It was her domain. She was La Muerte. It was the Day of the Dead. She was expected to prepare a feast for all of the souls inhabiting the Land of the Remebered.

"Care to make a wager?" the man cunningly asked. He knew La Muerte-after all, they were in a relationship. She was always up to take on a bet. And he was exhausted of living in the midst of the forgotten souls.

"Go on." La Muerte said, raising an eyebrow. She knew his tricks. She needed something where he couldn't possibly cheat.

"See those kids down there?" He said, point info to the laughing trio chasing a floating fake mustache. "I bet the one with the fake mustache marries the girl."

The woman examined the other boy, the one with the guitar. She knew who they were. It was part of her job to know everyone. He was...different. For some reason she got a different feeling from him than the other children. "And if you win?" She asked.

"Well, we switch our realms, of course." Xibalba said, as if it were obvious.

She sighed. "All right. And if I win, you have to stop interfering with mortals' lives."

He reluctantly agreed.

They both disguised themselves as elderly beggars and approached their subjects.

"Little boy, would you be so kind as to share your bread?" La Muerte asked. The boy with the guitar looked at his father, who nodded.

"Of course." He said. "Mamá would have wanted you to have it."

La Muerte looked at the portrait on the altar. It was of a woman who she assumed was the boy's mother. She smiled.

"Let me give you my blessing." She said.

The boy smiled. "Gracías, señora." he thanked her.

However, things were not necessarily going so smoothly with Oscar and Xibalba.

"Would you give me some bread?" Xibalba asked the boy, who turned his nose up.

"This bread is for my father, mister." He said, picking up a loaf and taking a large bite, and smirking.

"How about I trade you something for a loaf of bread?" Xibalba asked. Oscar's eyebrows raised.

"What is it?" He asked, taking another bite.

Xibalba showed him a green shiny medal. "So? What does it DO?" Oscar asked.

"It's the Medal of Everlasting Life. If you're wearing it, you can never get killed or injured."

"Ever?" Oscar asked.

"Ever." Xibalba said. Oscar passed over the half-eaten loaf of bread.

"Cool." He said, putting on the medal. Xibalba stopped him.

"You must never show the medal to anyone." He demanded. Oscar nodded.

"Okay." He said, running off to find his friends.


	3. Chapter 3

"Hey, guys! Look! It's so cute!" Star said, running over towards a pigpen. My eyes drifted up to a sign above the pen advertising bacon. Oh no... if Star noticed the sign we were in for. I sighed and watched as her line of sight slowly moved upward and then her big blue eyes widened.

"Oh no! They're going to kill the pigs!" she said, tears welling in her eyes. Before we had any idea what she was doing she grabbed a piece of wood from up against the building and started whacking the lock on the pen. It was old and rusty, so it broke easily, letting all the pigs loose. I grabbed onto one, and Star and Oscar did the same, and before we knew it we were headed to to the town square.

We didn't realize there was a huge aggressive boar behind us until we had already collapsed into a pile in the square, with adults giving us suspicious looks.

Don't get me wrong, we weren't troublemakers. Star wasn't afraid of anything, and Oscar would basically walk into any dangerous situation. Me? I had um...reflexes. Which is what caused me to push Star behind me when I saw the boar.

"Stay back." I said, grabbing a red cloth from a random woman, who gave me a look. I didn't notice. At the moment, I was a bullfighter, just like my entire family before me.

I wasn't shaking. This was hereditary, right? The neuroses probably wasn't helping me to stay courageous.

The boar ran directly at me, and I moved the cloth to the side. It knocked into some guy. Mental note: apologize for that later.

I didn't even think. Bull-or boar, as the case may be-taming, came naturally to me. Before I knew it, the boar had gotten stuck in a building. My father was praising me to the surrounding crowds. And the woman grabbed her cloth back. And then a bunch of gaping adults started cheering...for Oscar. Including Star's father, who had seen the whole thing. Star and I exchanged a look. Oscar didn't...even do anything.

"Oh my gosh!" I heard Star say. I saw my guitar on the ground. The neck was broken. I felt like something was broken in my heart.

Everyone went back to what they had been doing before the pig stampede had interrupted as if it had never happened, and I was left with Star, who was facing her father...and he was NOT happy.

"You let a whole pen of pigs out because...why?" He asked.

"They were caged up and waiting to become bacon! I had to!" She said. He father sighed.

"I think it's time you went to Reform school to learn how to act like a lady." He told her.

"But I don't WANT to be a lady!" She said. That's about when I walked away-I didn't want to eavesdrop on something that seemed so private. But I wasn't alone. A little pink animal followed me all the way home. I made it a makeshift bed out of a cardboard box.

Only days later, we were saying our goodbyes to Star. I brought my new pet as a parting gift.

"Marco!" She said, hugging me. "I love him! I promise I'll take really good care of him."

"I'm going to miss you." I whispered to her. I don't know if she heard me or not.

"I...uh, didn't know we were supposed to bring presents." Oscar said. Star shrugged.

"I got something for you." She said, looking at me, and passed me a box before she was whisked away to catch the train. Oscar caught the bonnet that had flown off of her head in the rush.

I opened the box-and it was a brand-new guitar. It was a little big, but I would grow into it.

And on the side, there was something engraved in the wood.

"Play from the heart, Star"

I silently promised her that I would.


	4. Chapter 4

Those next few years went quickly. Only a few moments stood out to me, such as telling my father that I wanted to be a musician and him telling me such a thing was a ridiculous wish, that I would be a Diaz bullfighter, just like everyone else. He told me it was "my mother's dream for me". I couldn't argue if it was my mother's wish.

I trained every day to become a renowned bullfighter. Oscar trained to become a general.

I couldn't help but think about how Star might feel about the pain I'd indicted on every single one of the bulls I fought. It wasn't right.

I could never finish one. It seemed too cruel to kill them for sport.

Finally, the day Star returned arrived. I had my first big fight that day, and she would be a guest of honor.

I was ready to impress her. I was twenty-one now, not five, and I had far more romantic tactics than sharing my juice box or making noise on my ukelele. It was time to show her, after sixteen years, that I had been in love with her the entire time, no matter if she was in Spain or not.

I heard the crowds cheer as I walked out. And I saw her walk out onto the balcony. All the other girls were envious, as well they should be. She was cute as a kid, but now she was absolutely gorgeous. Her long blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and she wore a long blue dress, which matched her eyes. I was speechless. She couldn't be the same little Star I'd been in love with when I was five.

I needed to step up my game. General Oscar was up there as well, and he had hundreds of medals adorning his uniform, which made it much easier for him to seduce women, as I'd learned. He was essentially a magnet.

The bull was released and I pulled out the cape. This is what I'd trained to do my entire life. This was my moment in the spotlight.

I put on a performance. I twirled around masterfully and wrote her name in sand, and I saw her blush. As I was about to finish the bull for my first time, I caught her eye in the reflection on my sword. I could see what she was thinking.

"He's not seriously going to kill the bull, is he?"

I couldn't. I put the sword down, and the boos began. I lured the bull into a wall where it managed to get stuck.

I noticed she had left the balcony.


	5. Chapter 5

After sixteen years, I was seeing my closest friends for the first time as adults.

And I realized they were both trying to seduce me.

Are they serious? Ughhhhh.

I couldn't take any more of Oscar's braggart-y attitude by the end of the show, so I left.

I went home, to have some time alone with an intelligent being that wouldn't try to kiss me. My pig.

"Hey, Chuy." I said, petting the pig's head. He was my best friend, to be honest. I didn't fit in so well at reform school... I think I don't need to say much more. Some of the girls had never heard of such a thing as an independent woman.

I was impressed that Marco wouldn't kill the bull. Maybe I had rubbed off on him so many years before. Or maybe he just didn't want to do such a thing in front of me.

I couldn't imagine him actually killing the bull, though. I know we hadn't seen each other in 16 years, maybe our personalities had changed, but I sill couldn't see it.

Oscar was apparently a chick magnet, a huge hotshot general. My dad had always loved Oscar. He sent me letters about how amazing he was while I was at school. I preferred reading (romance) novels over the letters.

My father was hosting a big party in my name in an hour-and inviting more people than I could count. I probably didn't even know half of them.

I talked to my pig for a while, and went downstairs, where I promptly ran into my "favorite" pompous a**. (Pardon my French)

"So, Star, how have you been?" Oscar asked. For the third time.

"Good." I said. "You?"

"I've been great. Did I mention I got this medal for rescuing puppies? Because I did. Yeah. And this one is for...um...I dunno, but it's gotta be pretty cool 'cuz there's a trophy on it. And this one is...blahblahblahblahblah..." He droned on. It took everything I had not to roll my eyes and walk away. I looked around the room.

Where was Marco?

"Hey, where's Marco?" I said, cutting Oscar off. He shrugged.

"Your dad didn't invite him."

Oh, come ON.

"I have a really important question to ask you." Oscar asked.

Please no...nononono...

Yep. He pulled out a big shiny diamond ring.

"Will you marry me?" He asked.

My father had come up behind me. "Uhhhhhhhh..." I said. I mean, come on, I'd literally seen him for the first time in around 20 years three hours ago.

"You know, he's a great fighter. We would have a much better chance of surviving attacks if Oscar was here all the time..." My father said.

Oh my God. He was trying to set me up! My DAD was setting me up with one of my old best friends!

"I need some time." I said, and went upstairs to talk to my pig again. I heard music coming from the balcony.

Not more...I rolled my eyes. You have got to be kidding me...it's the mariachi from the bull fight. Speaking of bull...

Th

e men are singing love songs one by one, in hopes of impressing me. Ummmmmm...no. I accidentally knocked something off of the balcony, conveniently hitting the guy playing. Not hard, just enough to let him know to stop.

Oh God no. It got even worse-the next guy is singing about how attractive he is. Another "accident" let him know to stop.

I don't even listen to the last guy. I don't even let him start.

But there's a fourth. This one is...familiar. I wish I had better far-sight vision. He strummed his guitar and when he started singing I knew exactly who it was.

Oh my God.

It was...


	6. Chapter 6

"Marco?!" I said, probably looking pretty confused. He winked at me and kept singing.

I was confused. I was entranced. I was...swooning? No...

Somehow the mariachi made a human ladder, and Marco finished his song looking me in the eyes.

We both leaned in, seconds from a kiss, and I moved at the last minute.

He gave me a startled look.

"Did you really think it would be so easy?" I asked.

"Um...yes?" He replied. I rolled my eyes and began walking inside, stopping in the doorway. "Wait!" He said. I turned around.

"Meet me at the bridge at seven." He said. I smiled. "Please." He said.

I sighed, nodding my head.

"Goodnight, Marco." I said, blowing a kiss. I heard the sound of the ladder tumbling after I closed the sliding door.

I laid on my bed, sighing. Why did love have to be so complicated?

Is that even what this is? Am I in love?

I couldn't be. I'd only just seen him for the...oh, cut the crap, Star. You've been in love with him since you were five years old.

I checked my clock, and realized it was six thirty. I started walking down the road to the bridge.

When I arrived the sides were lined with candles.

...

"No, she can't win." Xibalba said, pacing back and forth. He stroked up and down his snake staff, and then an idea popped into his head.

"Of course. It's so easy. Just get the guitarist out of the picture and the girl marries the general for the good of her town."

The staff began glowing and the purple snake head on the top closed its mouth...

...

"Oh my gosh, this is...wow." Star said. I smiled.

"Speechless, are you?" I asked.

"No, just...wow. Nobody's ever done something like this for me before."

"I have a question." I said, kneeling down. Her eyes widened. "Star, would you marry me? I know I don't have a ring, but I could promise my undying love forever."

She kneeled down next to me. "Wow. I...I can't believe I'm saying this, but..."she started, and pulled me to my feet. "Marco, look out!" She said, pushing me out of the way. The purple snake that had just snuck up on us had bitten her ankle. She began to fall over and I caught her before she hit the ground. The snake slithered away as she fell lifeless in my arms.

"No. Please, no. Star, wake up." I said, feeling like a child. "Please wake up."

I felt her wrist. She had no pulse.

Crap.

I started carrying her down the bridge when I ran into Oscar and her father.

"What did you do?" Oscar asked. I felt tears come to my eyes.

"I-" I started, and her father cut me off.

"Is she dead?" He asked. I had no choice but to nod yes.

He took her from my arms, scornfully looking at me, and signaled for Oscar to leave.

When they made it off of the bridge I fell to my knees and let the tears fall from my eyes.


End file.
